Oops...

Ok, so I didn't get a post in yesterday. Too busy celebrating the 4th of July, setting off fireworks. It was a ton of fun, but I've damaged some of my nails.
Short post since I don't have much time, but here are my nails now:

It Begins...

My fingernails suck.

They're paper-thin and never make it past the ends of my fingertips without breaking. When they break, I have a bad habit of biting the nail.

I can't keep polish on them for more than a day to save my life. They bend and crack the nail polish. They peel and the polish peels off with the piece of nail. If I really baby my manicure, I can keep it looking ok for a day and a half.

That spiffy new-ish Shellac stuff that's supposed to stay on for weeks? Two days.

Acrylics? Two days. (I was in a wedding, the bride paid for all of the bridesmaids so we would match.)

This is highly unfortunate, because I love nail polish. I love the way it feels on my nails, and I love the colors. I'm not a typically "girly" girl, but if I had the nails for it I would wear nail polish all the time.

I am starting this blog in the hopes that documenting this process will help keep me on track to getting the beautiful nails I've always wanted.

This is what my nails look like currently:

Right Hand - Ring Finger at break-length and peeling, nails uneven and ridged, cuticles a mess.

Left Hand - Index Finger at break-length on one side, Thumb Nail peeling, nails uneven and ridged, cuticles a mess.

If any of you are thinking,"That's not sooo bad." - I've been taking a Hair, Skin, & Nails supplement for months.While there is definitely a noticeable difference (tips of my nails are no longer completely transparent), they are still ridiculously thin. I also take a gummy multivitamin daily.

Based on my (limited) internet research, I am now adding a calcium supplement to the daily rotation. I am also going to be using a Cuticle Oil before bed, and a different nail growth product during the day. (No, I didn't get any of this for free, nor am I advocating any particular products/brands. I bought what was available. Links included only in case anyone is curious as to what exactly I'm using.)

At some point this week, I am going to see if I can get to a nail salon and convince them to give me a manicure without polish. I would like a clean slate to start from, and both of the nail treatments I'm trying require bare nails.

Possibly of note: My toenails do not have the same issues. They're a decent thickness and will hold a pedicure until the polish has grown off unless I remove the polish myself.

I'll be trying to update daily with at least a picture, so we'll see how this goes...